Rotary engine.



Ne.717,598. V PAT MED JAN. 6, 1903. T. w. NEBLY;

ROTARY. BEG-111E.

j APPLICATION FILED 32R. 18, 1901. H0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. WITNESSES INVENTOH PATENTED IAN. 6,1903.

13W. NEEL'Y. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 18, 1901.

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I WITNESSES I nv VEN Ton fomas flf nfifzj. BY W ATTORNEYS No. 717,598.'PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.- T. w. NBELY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1901. H0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: IQNVENTGR 7% w'w lwmw 7%; W66 Zy. W W

ATTORNEYS UNiTnn STATES ATENT Orricn.

THOMAS W'. NEELY, OF MARSHALL, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,598, dated ihanuary6, 1903.

Application filed April 18, 1901. Serial No. 56,492. (No model.)

To 01% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. Nanny, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marshall, in the county of Clark and State of Illinois, havemade certain new and useful Iu1 provements in Rotary Engines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in that class of rotary engines which areprovided with abutments adapted to slide radially in the casing and witha cylindrical piston arranged concentrically in said casing and having aseries of radial wings between which and the abutments the steam actsexpansively to cause rotation of the piston.

The invention consists particularly in the construction and arrangementof the steaminduction valves and their operating mechanism, the governorand cut-off, and the relation of the piston-wings to the abutments forworking steam expansively and securing uniform rotation of the piston.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of my improvedengine. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the engine. Fig. 3 is avertical section taken on a line between the casing and governor. Fig. 4is a vertical section on a line exterior to the governor.

The cylindrical casing A is fixed horizon tally upon a suitable bed orbase B, and a cylindrical piston O is arranged concentrically -within itand keyed upon a shaft D, having its bearings in the heads of the casingand in pedestals E. The shaft D is shown, Fig. 1, provided with a wheelD. The piston G has two radial wings c, which are arranged diametricallyopposite and work in frictional contact with the casing A. Packing 0(see Fig. 2) is arranged in the outer edges of the wings c, the samebeing formed of thin metal strips of right-angular form, which overlapat their inner ends.

As shown in Fig. 2, there are three abutments G G G that slide in slotsand ways a, formed in the periphery of the casing A and within thesteam-chests H. The latter have steam inlet and outlet ports 72. h onopposite sides of the abutments. The latter are forced outward by doubleeccentrics I, fixed on the shaft D exterior to'the ends of the casing A.The required connection between the abutments G and eccentric I isestablished by means of arms J, (see Figs. 1, 3, and 4,) which arerigidly attached to the abutments G G G exteriorly and project radiallyinward over the ends of the casing A. The inner ends of saidarm J areprovided with antifrictionrollers, that work'in contact with theeccentric I. The three abutments G G G are located equidistan'tly, thuspractically dividing theannular steam-chamber formed between the casingA and the piston G into three equal segmental spaces or compartments.-The piston 0 having but two wings c, which are diametrically opposite,it is ap parent that steam will always be working expansively and underhigh pressure in one segmental compartment or chamber, so that uniform.rotaryspeed of the engine is attained and a deadccnter. avoided. Asshown in Fig. 3, the arms J of the abutment G have just passed one ofthe cams or projections i of-the eccentric I, and, as shown in Fig. 2,thesaid abutment has just passed a wing c of piston C, and the adjacentvalve K being open steam is being admitted between the said wing andabutment and is acting against both, with the result that the'piston Ois rotated accordingly. The other valves K K are closed and steam isworking expansively in the next segmental chamber in order of rotationwhile exhausting freely from the same chambers on the other side'of thepiston-wings c. 7 It will be understood that the abutments G G G arenormally held drawn inward, as in Fig. 2, by springs J. (See Fig. 1.)When forced outward to their farthest limit by the eccentrics I, actingon their arms J, their inner edges will be flush with the inner surfaceof the casing A, thus allowing the piston-wings c to pass.

As shown in Fig. 2, the inner ends of the abutments are provided withround grooves to hold packing g.

A cylinder L is arranged tangentially on the ends of the casing A,adjacent to each steam-chest H, and its piston rod Z is pivoted to anarm 1o, fixed on the short rock-shaft 7t, whose inn er arm 75 carries avalve K or K K It will be seen that by oscillating the outer arm a valveK will be moved and the steamport h opened or closed. The inner ends ofthe rock-arm 7c are beveled or scarfed and adapted to engage thesimilarly-beveled outer ends of a slidable trip-bar M, of which thereare two, arranged opposite and alined and also held slidably in keepersor guides on on the eccentrics I.

Aspiral spring Nis coiled about each triphar M and acts against a keeperm and a col lar O, which is clamped on the bar and adapted foradjustment thereon to vary the length and tension of the spring N.

Each cylinder L is provided at the end adjacent to the rock-arm 7a witha tube or checkvalve Z, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) which admits air slowly tothat side of the piston. An aircushion may be provided on the other sideof said piston. It is hence apparent the cylinder L and its pistonpractically constitute a dash-pot whose action serves to efiect andregulate the closure of the valves K.

It will now be understood that as the eccentric I revolves with theshaft D and piston O the trips M strike and press upon the rock-arms 7cand force the latter back, so that the valves are opened and heldmomentarilyopenforadmission ofsteam through ports h, and that as thepiston and cam rotate furtheratrip M disengages from an arm k and allowsthe connected and adjacent valve to be quickly closed by the tension ofthe vacuum in the cylinder.

A spring may be substituted for the dashpot with the same generaleffect, but not with the same advantage.

A governor is formed by connecting the weighted lever-arms P, Figs. 1and 4, to the inner ends of the trip-rods M by means of links p, thesaid arms being fulcrumed on a yoke Q, fixed on the shaft D adjacent tothe cocentric, and thus rotating with them. Now when the engine startsthe weighted governor-arms P are in such position as to hold the trips Mso as to act on and open the valves, and thereby allow full admission ofsteam. When the load on the engine decreases, the latter will speed up,and the governor-balls will in consequence be thrown outward bycentrifugal action, thus drawing the valve-trips M inward or toward theshaft D, so that they will have less lap on the rockarms K, and hencethe two parts M It will not remain in contact so long a time and thevalves K K K will necessarily close more quickly. In case the rotativespeed becomes excessive the governor proper will draw the trips M so farinward as to be entirely out of range of contact with the valve-arms 7c,and thus shut off steam until speed is reduced.

The cut-off is regulated by adjusting the collars 0 lengthwise of thetrip-rods M, since this determines the length of the lap of the two tripmembers on the valve-arms 70. Thus the cut-off may be regulated so as tosecure the effect of the full expansion of steam, since the initialpressure is on one of the pistonwings e while the other is approachingthe last part of its stroke.

It will be understood that the exhaust-ports h are always open.

What I claim is 1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotaryshaft, a cylindrical casing and abutments sliding radially in peripheralslots in said casing and provided with radial arms extending inward, ofthe concentric piston fixed on the shaft and having radial wings,eccentrics on the shaft exterior to the casing, which coact with theabutment-arms, valves for controlling admission of steam, means arrangedon the casing and tending to hold the valves normally closed, a deviceconnected with the valves, trips which coact with said device to causeit to yield and open the Valves more or less, trip mechanism rotatingwith the cams, and governor mechanism regulating engagement of the tripswith the valve-operating devices, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary shaft, acylindrical casing and abutments sliding radially in peripheral slots insaid casin g and provided with radial arms extending inward, of theconcentric piston fixed on the shaft and having radial wings, eccentricson the shaft exterior to the casing, which coact with the abutment-arms,valves for controlling admission of steam, means arranged on the casingand tending to hold the valves normally closed, a movable arm connectedwith the valve, a trip-rod which is held slidably and radially and actson the valve-arms at each rotation, and governor-levers for acting onthe said trip-rods, as shown and described.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary shaft, acylindrical casing and abutments sliding radially in peripheral slots insaid casing, and provided with radial arms extending inward, of theconcentric piston fixed on the shaft and having radial wings, eccentricson the shaft exterior to the casing, which coact with the abutment-arms,valves for controlling admission of steam and each provided with an armas specified, a dashpot whose piston is connected with said arm,triprods held slidably and radially, and adapted to rotate with theeccentric, and to lap with the valve-arms, weighted governorleversconnected with the trip-rods and tending to draw them inward bycentrifugal action, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary shaft, acylindrical casing and abutments sliding radially in peripheral slots insaid casing and provided with radial arms extending inward, of theconcentric piston fixed on the shaft and having radial wings, eccentricson the shaft exterior to the casing, which coact with the abutment-arms,valves for controlling admission of steam,means arranged on the casingand tending to hold the valves normally closed, a rock-shaft and rockarm connected with the valve, and said arm having its free end beveledas described, a

IIO

such valve-arm, a spring coiled on said trip-- rod and having anadjustable device for regulating the tension of the spring,and weightedgovernor-arms pivoted on fixed points and rotating with the shaft andconnected with the trip-rods for drawing the latter in ward bycentrifugal action, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylindrical casing, of aconcentric piston having two radial wings, three slidable abutmentsarranged radially and equidistantly in the casing, a valve-chest havinginduction and exhaust ports on opposite sides of each abutment, slidingvalves adapted to close the induction-ports, a rock-shaft and rock-armsfor moving each valve, one of said arms being exterior to the chest,slidable trip-rods held in guides and arranged radially to the shaft andin the same vertical planes with the outer valve-arms forcontacttherewith at each rotation of the piston, weighted governor-ar nsloosely connected with the triprods and fnlcrumed on a yoke to Work inthe same plane with the shaft, all arranged and operating as shown anddescribed.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing, slidingabutments, rotary eccentrics, and the piston having wings, of agovernor, sliding trip-rods operated by the latter, swinging valvescontrolling induction-ports and having arms arranged exteriorly forcontact with the trip-rods, the dash-pots fixed on the casing and havingpistons connected I THOMAS W. NEELY.

Witnesses:

JEANNETTE BRISGOE, WALTER COLE.

